Expendable, dispensing-type oil can



Sept. 30, 1958 G. L. SPITZMESSER 2,854,175

EXPENDABLE, DISPENSING-TYPE OIL CAN Filed Nov. 16, 1956 /Z //Z i j v i 4 L A a JNVENTOR. I j /4 60/900 ,4. SP/TZ'MESSEB,

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BY ZWnm vfimzilcox.

United States Patent EXPENDABLE, DlSPENSING-TYPE OIL CAN Gordon L. Spitzmesser, Elwood, Ind.

Application November 16, 1956, Serial No. 622,67

4 Claims. (Cl. 222-209) This invention relates to containers in which oil is sold, and more particularly has reference to a container of this nature that is of the dispensing type, in the sense that it includes a spout through which the oil may be dispensed, and also includes means in the container for forcing oil out of the spout in selected amounts desired.

Commonly, oil, such as that used for lubricating purposes, is sold in a container from which the oil must be transferred to another container equipped with dispensing means. This is an inconvenient and time-consuming operation, and has the further disadvantage that not only must a separate dispenser be purchased, often at considerable cost, but further, there arises the possibility of spillage during the transfer and contamination of the oil either in the dispenser or in the can in which it was purchased. Still further, conventional arrangements, involving the transfer of the oil from a larger container to a smaller dispenser, result in the requirement for frequent refilling of the dispenser in view of the fact that the dispenser is usually designed to hold only a limited quantity of the oil.

It is proposed, in carrying out the invention, to eliminate the various difficulties and inconveniences that have been noted above. To this end, it is an object of the invention to provide a readily expendable, cheap dispensing means capable of association with a generally conventional container in which oil is sold, so that transfer of the oil to a separate dispenser is not required, with the construction being sufliciently simple as to permit disposal both of the dispensing means and the container, following exhaustion of the contents of the container.

A further object is to provide dispensing means as stated which can be a part of the container, at the time the container is sold, so that each can of oil that is sold will have its own dispensing means.

Another object is to form the dispensing means in such a way that alternatively to the arrangement discussed immediately above, the dispensing means can be swiftly and easily attached to a conventional container. One need merely punch holes in the upper end of the container at predetermined locations, after which the dispensing means is readily attachable to said end of the container, thus converting the ordinary, wholly conventional can in which the oil is purchased to a dispenser. In this circumstance, the dispenser, though being made sufliciently cheap to permit its disposal after use in dispensing the contents of a single container, can be kept if desired for re-use on like cans in which oil is sold.

Still another object is to provide a dispensing device of the character stated which will for the most part be formed of molded plastic material having the characteristic of deformability for the purpose of forcing oil from the can, with the particular cross-sectional shape of the body portion of the device being such as to increase its relative rigidity and lack of deformability at the area of the device that is connected to the can, While providing for a correspondingly lower characteristic of rigidity accompanied by increased adaptability to be deformed, at another location upon the body portion.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a dispensing device according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the dispensing device mounted upon a basically conventional can in which oil is sold; and

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially on line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, designated generally at 10 is a can in which oil is sold, said can having the usual cylindrical side Wall 12, a flat bottom wall 14 peripherally flanged and crimped into engagement with the lower end of the side wall, and a top wall 16 also engaged peripherally with the side wall, at the upper end of the side wall.

As is usual, the top wall 16 is formed with a rolled edge 18, said edge being crimped into engagement with an outwardly and downwardly flanged top edge 20 of side wall 12. There is thus defined, at the periphery of the top wall 16, an upwardly and outwardly extending circumferential bead.

Formed in the top wall 16 is a vent opening 22. The vent opening, as will presently appear, can be formed in the container at the time the dispensing device 24 constituting the present invention is to be applied to the container.

A dispensing device 24 includes a body portion 26 of domed formation, said body portion having an outer or top surface which is a segment of a sphere as will be readily noted from Figures 2 and 3. The body portion is of molded, one-piece construction, and is formed of a deformable plastic, such as polyethylene. A plastic material of this nature has a certain, limited flexibility and resiliency such that the material, when of predetermined thickness, can be flexed out of its normal shape by its user, after which the material tends to return to said normal shape. Material of this type is used to make so-called squeeze bottles for dispensing in spray form nasal sprays, cosmetics, liquid deodorants, etc. In any event, the body portion 26 as shown in Figure 3 has a relatively thin central area, and thinnest at its center point, being progressively increased in thickness in a direction from the center point to the periphery of the body portion, thus providing at the marginal area of the body portion a relatively thick part 27 which is connectable to the can 10.

The progressive thickening of the body portion in a direction outwardly from the center point thereof is accompanied by a correspondingly progressively increasing resistance to flexing under the pressure exerted against the body portion by a user. Thus, the body portion is of maximum flexibility or deformability at its center point, with the flexibility being gradually reduced in a direction from the center to the periphery of the device. At the margin of the body portion, the thickness is such that the body portion has comparatively small flexibility, though sufficient flexibility remains to permit attachment of the device to the container, due to a particular flanging and grooving of the marginal part of the device, in a manner to be described hereinafter.

At one location upon its margin, the body portion is integrally formed with a depending boss 28 which is even of greater thickness than the part 27 that occupies the rest of the circumference of the dispensing means. The boss 28, is, in fact, approximately twice the thickness of the circumferentially extending marginal part 27.

At its underside, the body portion is centrally hollowed out, and surrounding the hollow portion is a downwardly facing, flat, bottom surface 30 engageable against the top wall 16 of the can 10.

Integral with the boss 28 and extending downwardly therefrom is a tubular stem 32,' communicating at its upper end with a passage 36 extending through the boss 28 and opening within an upwardly projecting spout 38 also integrally formed upon the body portion.

At its periphery, the body portion is formed with a depending flange or skirt 49, of substantially less thickness than part 27. Where the inner surface of the flange 40 intersects with the underside of part 27, an inwardly facing, continuous groove 38 is formed, said groove extending both into the flange 40 and into the thickened part 27, and being of a cross section such that it will mate with and receive the circumferential head of the container 10.

The flange 40, being of reduced thickness as compared to the part 27, and being even further reduced in thickness along its upper edge due to the provision of groove 38, is flexible with comparative freedom where it is of minimum thickness, that is, along the grooved portion of the flange. As a result, flange 49 can be flexed outwardly so as to clear the bead, when the dispenser is being applied to the container, after which the natural resiliency of the flange itself to cause the same to lockably engage these circumstances, of 'course remains in closed position. When the pressure is relieved, the body portion will return to its normal shape, and the return of the air space to its normal size will result in a tendency to form a vacuum within the air space. As a result, atmospheric pressure outside the container will cause valve 50 to open, with air moving inwardly through port 48 to replace the oil forced out of the container into the tubular stern.

In another usage ofthe device, the container and the dispensing device can be sold as a single unit, wholly exexhausted container.

under the bead. Thereafter, a split ring clamp 42, having radial ears capable of being drawn together by a screw and nut 46, 47 respectively, is applied to the flange to bind the same tightly against the side wall 12 immediately below the bead.

In the body portion 26, there is formed an air vent 4S, offset slightly from the center point of the body portion and normally closed by a flap valve 50 bearing against the underside of the body portion. Flap valve 50 can be formed from a thin strip of spring metal embedded at one end in the body portion or alternatively, can itself comprise a short length of resilient plastic or similar material cemented or otherwise fixedly attached to the body portion. It is mainly important that the flap valve be capable of being manufactured at a minimum amount of cost, and that it be adapted to normally swing to a vent-closing position.

In use of the device, it will be assumed that in one usage, the dispensing means 24 is to be supplied to a wholly conventional oil can 10. In the circumstances, the oil can can be made with its top wall 16 normally imperforate, but scored or otherwise weakened to show the locations at which the vent hole 22, and the aperture 34 receiving stem 32, are to be formed. The provision of weakened areas on the top wall 16 will permit one, in these circumstances, to punch out the material of the top wall to provide vent 22 and opening 34. Thereafter, the dispensing device 24 is applied to the top of the can, in the manner previously described herein.

To maintain the discharge conduit defined at 32, 36, 38 with a readily available supply of oil, a check valve is provided at the lower end of the tubular stem 32. This is provided by pressing inwardly the lower end portion of the stern as at 52, to define a seat for a ball element 54,

the upward movement of which is limited by a cross pin 56 extending diametrically of the stem. This arrangement is adapted to maintain within the stem 32 a level of fluid comparable to the level within the container proper.

In any event, with the dispensing device applied as I previously described, one need only press downwardly providing constant communication between the mentioned air space and theinterior of the container. Valve 50, in

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and'described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minorv change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination, with a container including a flat upper end wall formed with a peripheral bead, said wall having a vent opening and an aperture, of a device for dispensing a liquid from said container comprising: a body portion overlying said wall, said body portion being of concavo-convex formation to define an air chamber between the wall and body portion, said body portion including means at its periphery engaging over the bead,

' the vent communicating with the air chamber and the tion to permit air to enter the chamber from atmosphere following deformation of the body portion; and an outlet conduit on the body portion terminating exteriorly of the container in a discharge spout, said conduit extending through the aperture into the container to provide an outlet for the displaced liquid, the body portion having inner and outer surfaces of segmentally-spherical shape with the inner surface having a smaller radius than the outer surfaces, the inner surface curving about a center different from that of the outer surface, whereby the body portion is progressively increased in thickness in a direction from the center point thereof to its periphery, to provide for a correspondingly progressively decreasing flexibility thereof in said direction.

2. The combination, with a container including a flat upper end wall formed with a peripheral bead, said wall having a vent opening and an aperture, of a device for dispensing a liquid from said container comprising: a body portion overlying said wall, said body portion being of concavo-convex formation to define an air chamber between the wall and body portion, said body portion including means at its periphery engaging over the bead, the vent communicating with the air chamber and the body portion being of a resiliently deformable material for forcing air into the container to displace liquids within the container; a check-valved air inlet on the body portion to permit air to enter the chamber from atmosphere following deformation of the body portion; and an outlet conduit on the body portion terminating exteriorly of the container in a discharge spout, said conduit extending through the aperture into the container to provide an outlet for the displaced liquid, the bodyv portion having inner and outer surfaces of segmentally-spherical shape with the inner surface having a smaller radius than the outer surfaces, the inner surface curving about a center different from that of the outersurface, whereby the body portion is, progressively increased in thickness in a dime-- tion from the center point thereof to its periphery, to provide for a correspondingly progressively decreasing flexibility thereof in said direction, said body portion being formed on its underside with a boss substantially greater in thickness than the remainder of the body portion and disposed Wholly inwardly from the periphery of the outer surface of the body portion, the discharge conduit being carried by said boss.

7 3. The combination, with a container including a flat upper end wall formed with a peripheral head, said wail having a vent opening and an aperture, of a device for dispensing a liquid from said container comprising: a body portion overlying said wall, said body portion being of concave-convex formation to define an air chamber between the wall and body portion, said body portion including means at its periphery engaging over the head, the vent communicating with the air chamber and the body portion being of a resiliently deformable material for forcing air into the container to displace liquids within the container; a check-valved air inlet on the body portion to permit air to enter the chamber from atmosphere following deformation of the body portion; and an outlet conduit on the body portion terminating exteriorly of the container in a discharge spout, said conduit extending through the aperture into the container to provide an outlet for the displaced liquid, the body portion being progressively increased in thickness in a direction from the center point thereof to its periphery, to provide for a correspondingly progressively decreasing flexibility thereof in said direction, said body portion being formed on its underside with a boss substantially greater in thickness than the remainder of the body portion, the discharge conduit being carried by said boss, the body portion being formed with a depending circumferential flange of a thickness substantially less than the thickest portion of the marginal part of the body portion, said flange having an inwardly facing groove continuing into said marginal part of the body portion, said groove having a cross section matching that of the bead so as to receive the bead, the grooving of the flange reducing the thickness of the flange in the area of the groove to increase the flexibility of the flange for snapping the flange over the head.

4. The combination, with a container including a flat upper end wall formed with a peripheral head, said Wall having a vent opening and an aperture, of a device for dispensing a liquid from said container comprising: a body portion overlying said wall, said body portion being of concave-convex formation to define an air chamber between the wall and body portion, said body portion including means at its periphery engaging over the bead, the vent communicating With the air chamber and the body portion being of a resiliently deformable material for forcing air into the container to displace liquids Within the container; a check-valved air inlet on the body portion to permit air to enter the chamber from atmosphere following deformation of the body portion; an outlet conduit on the body portion terminating exteriorly of the container in a discharge spout, said conduit extending through the aperture into the container to provide an outlet for the displaced liquid, the body portion being progressively increased in thickness in a direction from the center point thereof to its periphery, to provide for a correspondingly progressively decreasing flexibility thereof in said direction, said body portion being formed on its underside with a boss substantially greater in thickness than the remainder of the body portion, the discharge conduit being carried by said boss, the body portion being formed with a depending circumferential flange of a thickness substantially less than the thickest portion of the marginal part of the body portion, said flange having an inwardly facing groove continuing into said marginal part of the body portion, said groove having a cross section matching that of the bead so as to receive the head, the grooving of the flange reducing the thickness of the flange in the area of the groove to increase the flexibility of the flange for snapping the flange over the bead; and clamp means extending about and adapted to be radially contracted against the flange, for sealably binding the flange against the container adjacent said head.

Soreny Feb. 17, 1931 Leach May 25, 1954 

